Radio tuning device



July 17, 1928. 1,677,737 0. c. STAATS RADIO TUNING DEVICE Filed Feb. 6, 1926 my NTOR.

Patented July 17, 1928.

.U'NITED STATES.

osnnI. c. sraarspr R IPLEY, -'W Es'1 VIRGINIA.

namo TUNING DEVICE.

Application filed February This invention has reference 'to controls for condensers or tuning devices on radio apparatus, and has for.,an obJect thev pro vision 'of novel means, wherebytwo or more condensers may be operated'simultaneousl or selectively in a single shaft journa through which th'eshafts on which the condensers are mounted project, one shaft Within the other, in orderv that one shaft when rotated may carry the other shaft or shafts, the arrangement being such that the other shaft or shafts may be'independently actuated for moving the condenser or condensers mounted on them.

It is a further object of this invention to produce novel means for coupling the shafts together by yieldable. means which will permit the shafts tobe rotated in unison or independently, as the requirements in practice may develop; and it is a still further object of this invention to provide a brake or friction device which will serve to retain the shafts in adjusted positions.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in thedetails of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the ,severalviews, and in which- Figure 1 illustrates a view in elevation partly in section of a pluralityof condensers mounted for operation, embodying the in vention;

Figure 2 illustrates a sectional view'on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 illustrates a sectional view of the device on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1 omitting parts beyond the coupling; and- Figure 4 illustrates a sectional view onthe line.44 of Fig. 1.

In these drawings, a suitable frame is provided for holding the stationary condenser plates and the bearings'for the shafts, and the frame has a front plateS with a bearing 6, in which an outer tubular shaft 7 is rotatable, the said outer shaft constituting a carrier or support for the movable condenser plates 8. The shaft 7 also extends through a bearing 9 and it carries collar 10 which is engaged by a. spring 11 anchored to the frame, which spring is intended to produce 6, 1926. Serial No. 86,564/

friction for retaining the partsin adjusted positions. The pressure of the. spring on the collar may be regulated by a screw 12 threaded in the said spring and bearing against one of the frame members.

A tubular shaft 13'is rotatable in the shaft 7 and it projects outwardlybeydnd the' end of the shaft 7 and inwardly beyond theend of the said shaft 7. An insulating coupling 14 is secured by a set screw 14 to the inner end of the shaft 13 and to an extension 15 of said shaft which is also tubular and which is rotatable in bearings 16 and 17 of the frame. The tubular extension 15 constitutes a support'for the movable condenser plates 18 which are adapted to coact with a plurality of stationary condenser plates of known construction. As illustrated, inthe present embodiment of the invention, a shaft 19 is rotatable in the shaft 13 and its exten sion 15 and through the insulating coupling 14, the said shaft 19 bein additionally journaled in bearings 20 an '21 of the frame, and the said shaft constitutes a support and carrier for condenser plates 22 which coact with stationary condenser plates ofconventional type.

The shafts 7, 13 and 19 have knobs or op- I crating devices and preferably dials 23, 24 and 25, respectively, which permit manipulation of the shafts in the usual tuning op-' eration, but the shafts are coupled to rotate selectively or in unison, a s Iwill'be presently explained. The shafts 7 and 13 are frictionally connected together through means of a couplin 26, and the shaft extension 15 and the sha 4 19 are frictionally connected together by a similar coupling. The couphngs 26 comprise circular housings each having a web 27-therein provided with a slot 28 of approximately the diameter of the shaft on which it is mounted, and for the purpose of this illustration, we will regard' the coupling shown in Fig. 4 as'being mounted on the extension 15 of the extension 15 of the shaft 13 with the shaft 19 extending spring 30 is seated, which spring bears against the shaft 19, and the theory of o eration is that the spring shall be of su cient strength to produce friction which will couple the shafts together so that theywill rotate in unison. The spring 30 is shown as having its ends 31 and 32 anchored in the coupling and it is intended to bear against lio loaf

the shaft 19, as stated; "The coupling is anchored to the extension 'by a set screw 33 so that the coupling rotates with the shaft.

In the operation of the device, the friction on the different shafts can be so regulated that when the first large knob 23 and dial on the outer hollow shaft is rotatedfor tuning the first condenser, the second and third knobs and dials24' and 25, respective ly, and their 'an operator ma shafts will also rotate, thus 0 erating the condensers simultaneouslydditionally, turn the second knob '24 with its shaft, w iich will serve to also rotate the knob 25 and its shaft 19 without moving the first'dial orlcondenser, and thereafter,

the operator may rotate the knob and dial for independently rotatin the shaft 19 with its condenser, while the first and second condensers remain stationary. It will be a parent that such manipulation will result in tuning all 'of the condenserssimultaneously, or they may be tuned selectively,"a'nd"'while the invention has been described in association with three condensers, the number may beincreased or diminished to suit particular requirements.

Ofcourse suitable insulation will be su pliedbetween the condensers and this may accomplished by the employment of the ins'ulated shaft 19,-or the use of insulated joints, as those "skilled in the'art will understand.

I- claim 1. In a radio tuning device, aframe, sets of condenser elements carried thereon, a hollow shaft rotatable through a zone of the frame having one set of condenser elements,-

c-ondenser elements carried on the said shaft and adapted to coact with the condenser elements in the said zone, a hollow shaft withinthe first mentioned shaft extending beyond each end of said shaft, means yieldingly connecting-the shafts-for rotation in unison, the second mentioned shaft carrying condenser elements for a succeeding zone,"a shaft within the second mentioned shaft extending bethe inner shaft to coact with the condenser elements of another zone, means for yieldingly coupling the first .mentioned and. second mentioned shafts-together, means for. yieldyond its ends, condenser elements carried by ingly coupling theinner shaft to the intermediate shaft, and separate hand grasps for the shafts whereby'they maly be manipulated simultaneously or selective y.

2. In a rad'o tuning dev1ce,'a frame, of condenser elements carried thereon, a hollow shaft rotatable through a zone of the .frame having one setof condenser elements,

condenser elements carried 'on the said shaft and adapted to coact'with the condenser elements in the said zone,'a hollow shaft within the first mentioned. shaft-extending beyond 7 each end of said shaft, means 'eldingly conintermediate shaft, separate hand grasps for the shafts whereby theymay be manipulated simultaneously or selectively, and a friction device for-restricting themovement of the first mentioned shaft.

- OSHEL C. STAATS.

' and second mentioned shafts together, means for yieldingly coupling the inner shaft to the 

